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Seeking guidance on the graduation project on isopropanol purification

2023-04-08View Original

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A friend of mine’s undergraduate thesis topic was \"Process Design for the Purification Section of Isopropanol Produced by the Lipid Exchange Method at a Capacity of 80,000 tons per year.\" There were many issues with the simulation of reactive distillation and the calculations related to the purification tower, and it was not possible to complete the thesis due to the lack of relevant reference materials. Please ask the forum experts to help answer this. Paid gratitude! The process route involves the preparation of isopropanol via transesterification. The technical approach consists of pumping isopropyl acetate and methanol into the catalytic distillation tower from the upper and lower parts of the reaction section, respectively; these two substances come into contact with each other in the reaction section located in the middle of the catalytic distillation tower, where heat and mass transfer occur in a counter-current manner, and the transesterification reaction takes place under the action of the catalyst present in that section. After the reaction, the light components methyl acetate and methanol are concentrated in the distillation section, vaporized at the top of the tower, and then condensed. Part of the condensed liquid is recycled to the catalytic distillation tower, while another part is pumped to the methyl ester distillation tower for further concentration. The product from the bottom of the catalytic distillation column is isopropyl alcohol, methanol, and a small amount of isopropyl acetate; after being pumped out, it enters the methanol distillation column ; The mixture of methyl acetate and methanol obtained from the top of the catalytic distillation tower enters the middle section of the methyl ester distillation tower; after separation, the azeotrope of methyl acetate and methanol at the tower top is condensed in a condenser – part of this mixture is recycled back to the top of the methyl ester distillation tower, while the other part is collected ; The high-concentration methanol at the bottom of the tower is returned to the lower part of the reaction section of the catalytic distillation column to be reused as part of the feedstock ; The liquid obtained from the bottom of the catalytic distillation tower enters the methanol distillation tower via the middle section for separation. The light component, methanol, is condensed at the top of the tower using a condenser; part of it is recycled back to the top of the methanol distillation tower, while the rest is taken out and returned to the lower part of the reaction section of the catalytic distillation tower to be used as part of the feedstock in a cyclic process. The isopropyl alcohol along with a small amount of isopropyl ester in the bottom liquid of the tower are pumped to the isopropyl alcohol purification tower for purification ; Isopropyl alcohol and a small amount of isopropyl ester, obtained from the bottom of the methanol distillation tower, are pressurized by pumps and fed into the isopropyl alcohol purification tower from the middle. The high-purity isopropyl alcohol vapor at the top of the tower is condensed in a condenser; part of this vapor is recycled back to the top of the isopropyl alcohol purification tower, while the rest is collected as the isopropyl alcohol product ; A very small amount of a mixture of isopropyl acetate and isopropanol is taken out from the bottom of the tower.
Reply #22023-04-08
Hello, based on your description, the graduation project involves the process design for the isopropanol purification section; simulation of reactive distillation and calculations related to the purification tower present certain difficulties. It is recommended that you start from the following aspects to find relevant reference materials or solve the problem: 1. Identify the parameters and data required for reaction distillation simulation and refining column calculations, including reaction kinetics parameters, heat and mass transfer parameters, as well as physical and chemical property parameters. If you already have relevant data, you can refer to existing literature or industrial standard manuals to find reference values or set values. 2. Determine the calculation methods and software required for reaction distillation simulation and refining column calculations. Common methods include mass conservation, energy conservation, and phase equilibrium, while common software includes Aspen Plus, HYSYS, etc. 3. Search for relevant literature and industrial materials, including chemical process diagrams, process descriptions, technical parameters, experimental data, etc. Relevant information can be obtained through online searches, professional databases, libraries, and other sources. At the same time, you can also try to communicate with peers and experts in the industry to obtain more practical advice and guidance. The above are just some simple suggestions; specific solutions need to be developed based on your actual circumstances. If you need more detailed guidance and assistance, you may consider seeking advice from experts or companies in the relevant industry. Wish you success in completing your graduation project! .

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